Method and system for determining whether a mark is genuine

Abstract

A system for verifying the authenticity of a printed mark includes an image acquisition device that acquires an image of a printed mark. In one implementation, the printed mark includes an identifier that identifies the group or class of an item to which the printed mark is to be (or has been) attached. The system may also include one or more processors that carry out actions such as receiving the image from the image acquisition device; analyzing the image to identify artifacts in the printed mark, retrieving a genuine mark signature from a data storage containing genuine mark signatures, comparing the identified artifacts with the genuine mark signature, and determining whether the unverified item is authentic based on the comparison.

I claim: 
     
       1. A method of indexing and searching data storage containing genuine printed mark signatures, the method comprising:
 receiving an image of a genuine printed mark from a first image acquisition device, 
 wherein the genuine printed mark includes
 an identifier that identifies a group or category of manufactured item to which the genuine printed mark is or will be attached, and 
 one or more artifacts resulting from a printing process that printed the genuine printed mark, wherein the one or more artifacts are not controllably producible in the printing process; 
 
 measuring one or more features of the genuine mark, resulting in a first set of metrics, wherein the one or more features correspond to the one or more artifacts; 
 forming a genuine mark signature based on the first set of metrics; 
 storing the genuine mark signature in the data storage; 
 indexing the genuine mark signature using the identifier; 
 repeating the receiving, measuring, forming, and storing steps for each of a plurality of genuine printed marks, wherein the plurality of genuine printed marks are attached to manufactured items of a variety of groups or categories; 
 receiving an image of a candidate printed mark from a second image acquisition device, wherein the candidate printed mark includes an identifier that identifies a group or category of manufactured item to which the candidate printed mark is attached; 
 measuring one or more features of the candidate printed mark, resulting in a second set of metrics; 
 forming a candidate mark signature based on the second set of metrics; 
 using the identifier of the candidate printed mark, searching the data storage for genuine mark signatures of the same group or category as that of the candidate mark signature; 
 comparing the candidate mark signature with the genuine mark signatures located in the search; and 
 determining whether the candidate printed mark is genuine based on the comparison. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein
 the genuine printed mark is a symbol comprising an array of printed cells, and 
 the one or more features comprise features of at least some of the printed cells that were produced when the symbol was produced. 
 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 2 , wherein the one or more features comprise a deviation in the average color of one or more of the printed cells. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 2 , wherein the one or more features comprise a bias in the position of one or more of the printed cells. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 2 , wherein the features comprise differences in the nominal color of one or more of the printed cells. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 2 , wherein the one or more features comprise voids within one or more of the printed cells. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 2 , wherein the one or more features comprise extraneous marks near one or more of the printed cells. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 2 , wherein the one or more features comprise a deviation from a nominal shape of a continuous edge. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1 , wherein
 the genuine printed mark is a symbol comprising a plurality of continuous edges and 
 the artifacts comprise features of at least some of the continuous edges that were produced when the symbol was produced. 
 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 9 , wherein the one or more features comprise a deviation from a nominal shape of one or more of the continuous edges. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 1 , wherein comparing the candidate mark signature with the genuine mark signatures located in the search comprises identifying data that are present in the first set of metrics but absent from the second set of metrics. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 1 , wherein comparing the genuine mark signature with the candidate mark signatures located in the search comprises identifying data that are present in the first set of metrics but absent from the second set of metrics. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first image acquisition device is a cell phone. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the data storage is a database. 
     
     
       15. A computing device for indexing and searching a data storage containing genuine printed mark signatures, the computing device comprising:
 one or more processors that carry out actions comprising: 
 receiving an image of a genuine printed mark from a first image acquisition device, wherein the genuine printed mark includes
 an identifier that identifies a group or category of manufactured item to which the genuine printed mark is attached, and 
 one or more artifacts resulting from a printing process that printed the genuine printed mark, wherein the one or more artifacts are not controllably producible in the printing process; 
 
 measuring one or more features of the genuine mark, resulting in a first set of metrics, wherein the one or more features correspond to the one or more artifacts; 
 forming a genuine mark signature based on the first set of metrics; 
 storing the genuine mark signature in the data storage; 
 indexing the genuine mark signature using the identifier; 
 repeating the receiving, measuring, forming, and storing steps for each of a plurality of genuine printed marks, wherein the plurality of genuine printed marks are attached to manufactured items of a variety of groups or categories; 
 receiving an image of a candidate printed mark from a second image acquisition device, wherein the candidate printed mark includes an identifier that identifies a group or category of manufactured item to which the candidate printed mark is attached; 
 measuring one or more features of the candidate printed mark, resulting in a second set of metrics; 
 forming a candidate mark signature based on the second set of metrics; 
 using the identifier of the candidate printed mark, searching the data storage for records of genuine mark signatures of the same group or category as that of the candidate mark signature; 
 comparing the candidate mark signature with the genuine mark signatures of the records located in the search; and 
 determining whether the candidate printed mark is genuine based on the comparison. 
 
     
     
       16. The computing device of  claim 15 , wherein
 the genuine printed mark is a symbol comprising an array of printed cells, and 
 the artifacts comprise features of at least some of the printed cells that were produced when the symbol was produced. 
 
     
     
       17. The computing device of  claim 16 , wherein the one or more features comprise a deviation in the average color of one or more of the printed cells. 
     
     
       18. The computing device of  claim 16 , wherein the one or more features comprise a bias in the position of one or more of the printed cells. 
     
     
       19. The computing device of  claim 16 , wherein the features comprise differences in the nominal color of one or more of the printed cells. 
     
     
       20. The computing device of  claim 15 , wherein the data storage is a database. 
     
     
       21. The computing device of  claim 15 , wherein
 the genuine printed mark is a symbol comprising a plurality of continuous edges and 
 the artifacts comprise features of at least some of the continuous edges that were produced when the symbol was produced. 
 
     
     
       22. The method of  claim 21 , wherein the one or more features comprise a deviation from a nominal shape of one or more of the continuous edges.